No old, bold hunters for mushrooms

Published: October 7, 2008 4:00 AM

Q: I've been finding mushrooms in my yard, including a large puffball? Are any of these safe to eat?A: There could be a few mushrooms growing in your yard that may be safe to eat, such as horse or meadow mushrooms. But there could also be some deadly ones, such as the "Destroying Angel" or "Fly Agaric." The giant puffball is one that is fairly easy to recognize, as it has no stem and can become very large. They can easily be basketball size and in one instance a puffball was mistaken for a small sheep in a pasture. It is considered edible, but some people have a hard time digesting it. But be aware there are also look-alikes that can make you sick. The best I can offer you is to get a good mushroom key and learn to identify a few of the ones that are considered edible. Just admire the rest of them for their looks. Never try to eat a mushroom you are not sure of. It is said there are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters. But there are no old, bold mushroom hunters!Q: We have a pear tree that has some of the pears falling off, but they are still green. When should we pick them?A: There are several ways you can determine if your pears are ready to pick. In looking at the pear, if the skin has turned from dark green to a light green or greenish yellow, the small dots on the fruit change from white to brown, and/or the skin feels smooth and waxy, then they are probably ready to pick. If they are to this stage, they should come off the tree without much trouble. If you still have to tug quite a bit, let them go for a few days and try again. The pears will then need to set for a period of time to ripen. This period of time can differ according to the variety. If any pears are ripe when you pick them, enjoy them soon because they won't keep for very long.Questions for this column can be mailed to Round Yard and Garden at 428 W. Liberty St., Wooster 44691. It is your questions that make this column possible.Ron Becker is an OSU Extension program coordinator.